Jury reaches split verdict for Dayton woman who shot auto parts customer after attack

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

The jury reached its verdict after a trial that began Tuesday.

Watson was found not guilty of aggravated assault (serious harm) and was found guilty of aggravated assault (deadly weapon), court records filed Friday show.

Dayton police were called just after 9 p.m. July 7, 2022, on a report of a shooting at O’Reilly Auto Parts, 4347 W. Third St.

Watson was an employee who told police she shot a woman who was a customer at the store.

Watson said she was helping the customer find a car part when the woman became upset and threatened her. The woman then attacked Watson and beat her on the head with her fists. Watson retreated behind the employee counter and retrieved her gun, according to an affidavit filed in Dayton Municipal Court.

Watson told police she fired her gun once at the woman because she believed the woman was coming at her for another attack, according to the court document.

“A video taken by an unknown witness appeared on social media capturing the incident and shows (the gunshot victim) attacking Watson. It then shows Watson retrieving a gun and pointing it at (the victim) and firing it at her as she is walking away,” the affidavit stated.

The gunshot victim, a 33-year-old Dayton woman, was driven by her boyfriend to Miami Valley Hospital following the shooting. The woman was shown to be alert in the video, according to the affidavit.